NEWS STORIES

SEPTEMBER 2013

Sept. 30: Corn quality remains strong while harvest progress continues to lag according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released today. With 55 percent of the crop in good or excellent condition, 63 percent of the crop had reached full maturity and 12 percent of all corn acres had been harvested by September 29. “As combines roll in many parts of the country, yield and quality reports continue …

Sept. 30: Only hours remain before the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, leaving Congress little time to pass a Continuing Resolution to continue funding federal government activities in order to avoid a government shutdown. The legislation provides funding for export promotion programs, utilized by organizations like the U.S. Grains Council, which are subject to enactment of a new farm bill or an extension of current law. …

Sept. 30: As the fiscal year comes to an end, the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board prepares to seat new members and officers on October 1. When the 2013 Executive Committee steps down, NCGA President Pam Johnson will complete her term and move on to the role of Chairwoman, passing the role of president to current First Vice President Martin Barbre. The Off the Cob podcast series sat …

Sept. 27: An updated slate of farmers will serve their industry as members of the National Corn Growers Association’s action teams and committees in the next fiscal year, which begins Tuesday, actively shaping the future of their industry by guiding programs carrying out the policies and priorities that guide NCGA. “We’re going to be facing a lot of challenges and opportunities in the year ahead, and it’s great to …

Sept. 27: As the fiscal year comes to an end, the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board prepares to seat new members and officers on October 1. When the 2013 Executive Committee steps down, NCGA Chairman Garry Niemeyer will complete his term on the Corn Board, passing the role of chairwoman to current President Pam Johnson. The Off the Cob podcast series sat down with Niemeyer to discuss his …

Sept. 27: American Ethanol will tackle the Monster Mile in Dover, Del., this weekend, both on track and with its 10th major activation of the NASCAR® season. More than 100,000 fans are expected to visit the one-mile concrete track, dominated by Miles the Monster, during the three race events including: the K&N Pro East “Drive Sober 150” Sept. 27; the NASCAR Nationwide Series 5-Hour Energy 200 Sept. 28; and …

Sept. 27: Yesterday in Washington, the National Corn Growers Association participated in important discussions aimed to develop a plan for dealing with herbicide resistance. The workshop, which included participants from academia, government and agribusiness, brought key stakeholders together to examine the economic and sociological dimensions of resistance management, the factors and actors necessary to implement successful plans and possible incentives and outreach efforts to facilitate a successful overall strategy. …

Sept 26: Late last week a federal judge ruled in the Gulf Restoration Network vs. EPA lawsuit which sought to force the Environmental Protection Agency to establish strict water quality standards for nutrient runoff for all states in the Mississippi River Basin. The National Corn Growers Association intervened in the suit with the American Farm Bureau Federation, The Fertilizer Institute, National Pork Producers Council and other farm groups in 2012. …

Sept. 26: NCGA joined researchers from universities and private business, equipment manufacturers and software companies this week in St. Louis, at The Plant Genomics Congress USA. The Plant Genomics Congress USA agenda contained a great line-up of speakers who addressed how Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies continue to transform plant science. The speakers also examined the latest NGS technology platforms as well as tools to aid data analysis. “Understanding …

Sept. 25: Yesterday, a team organized by the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program to examine agricultural trade and food safety visited the National Corn Growers Association for discussions about improving the economic outlook for farmers and enriching the quality of farm family life. The discussion, part of an effort to enhance international understanding of U.S. policies and systems that regulate and support agriculture, included participants from Argentina, Austria, …

Sept. 25: The U.S. Grains Council, of which the National Corn Growers Association is a founding member, is working to recapture market share in Japan, the largest market for U.S. corn. As a part of these efforts, the Council recently brought a team of Japanese corn millers to Illinois and Iowa for a firsthand look at corn production that helped to rebuild their confidence in U.S. suppliers. Over the …

Sept. 24: The National Corn Growers Association is now in its third season of Field Notes, a series that takes readers behind the farm gate to follow the year in the life of American farm families. While these growers come from diverse geographic areas and run unique operations, they share a common love for U.S. agriculture and the basic values that underpin life in farming communities. Today, Field …

Sept. 24: The National Corn Growers Association’s National Corn Yield Contest set a new entry record in 2013 with 8,827. This surpasses the previous record of 8,431 entries, set in 2011, and far outstrips the 8,263 entries received in 2012. “The contest continues to grow in popularity undeterred by challenging planting weather like that which many saw this year,” said NCGA President Pam Johnson. “By nature, farmers are optimists …

Sept. 23: Today, National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson joined world leaders from business and government and America's top faith, military, agriculture and health representatives at the Opening Ceremony for Climate Week NYC 2013. In its fifth year, Climate Week NYC provides a global summit for government, business and thought leaders to drive innovation, build coalitions and deliver practical solutions. "Modern agriculture isn't the problem; it's the solution,” …

Sept. 23: With harvest now underway across the country, the condition of the corn crop remains strong, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released today. With 55 percent of the crop in good or excellent condition, 40 percent of the crop had reached full maturity and 7 percent of all corn acres had been harvested by September 22. “With harvest now underway, we grow closer by the …

Sept 19: This week, the Environmental Protection Agency released a draft report that merged more than 1,000 peer-reviewed, scientific studies examining how smaller, isolated bodies of water are connected to larger ones. Using conclusions set by the draft report, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers submitted a draft rule on Clean Water Act jurisdiction to the Office of Management and Budget for interagency review. The National Corn Growers …

Sept 19: Today, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013. The National Corn Growers Association appreciates the bi-partisan effort put forth by members of the committee to clear this legislation of its first major hurdle in the House. “A modern inland waterways system is critical to American agriculture and to the nation’s economy,” NCGA President Pam Johnson said. …

Sept. 19: Following the success of the Food Dialogues event series, the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers and some of its affiliates have kicked off a series of regional events to bring communities together to talk about food and farm issues. Today, two events took place in Columbia, Mo., and Raleigh, N.C. The first event, in North Carolina, was held in conjunction with the North Carolina Animal Agriculture Coalition. …

Sept. 19: Fuels America, of which the National Corn Growers Association is a founding member, released a new poll today highlighting that a strong majority of Americans support E15 availability at the gas station. Additionally, it showed that nearly four in five Americans believe the oil industry’s ongoing efforts to block the availability of E15 is bad for consumers. Fuels America conducted the poll of more than 1,200 U.S. …

Sept. 18: Fuels America, of which the National Corn Growers Association is one of the founding members, launched an educational program in Washington this week highlighting the importance of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The program, which highlights the benefits of the RFS, includes messaging that carpets Metro stations most traveled by policymakers and their staff. “The RFS is important not only for corn farmers but also for our nation …

Sept. 18: A new report released from researchers in the Netherlands shows that current models assessing the impact of crops grown for biofuel production on land use do not accurately reflect current production and land use realities. Given the impact of these models on bioenergy policy, “Biomass Research” makes a strong case for updating the way in which the true benefits of biofuels are assessed in order to insure policy …

National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson released the following statement in response to the district court’s ruling upholding the Environmental Protection Agency’s Total Maximum Daily Load for the Chesapeake Bay: “The National Corn Growers Association is disappointed to hear the court’s decision to uphold the TMDL in the Chesapeake Bay. We continue to believe the Chesapeake Bay TMDL goes beyond the scope of Clean Water Act authority and …

Sept. 17: With the harvest beginning across the Corn Belt, the National Corn Growers Association reminds entrants that online harvest forms for the 2013 National Corn Yield Contest are available. While the harvest information form deadline may seem distant, entrants are asked to report within seven days of their final yield check or by Nov. 22, whichever comes first. “As more farmers begin harvesting their corn crop, we ask …

Sept. 16: The U.S. corn crop marched toward maturity without further drought damage according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported today. With 53 percent of the crop in good or excellent condition, 22 percent of the crop had reached full maturity and 81 percent reached the dent stage by September 15. “While many growers have noticed the impact of late-season drought on their crops, official reports continue to …

Sept. 13: The National Corn Growers Association is now in its third season of Field Notes, a series that takes readers behind the farm gate to follow the year in the life of American farm families. While these growers come from diverse geographic areas and run unique operations, they share a common love for U.S. agriculture and the basic values that underpin life in farming communities. Today, Field …

Sept. 12: While harvest begins, a select group of growers are ramping up their efforts to become the most effective leaders possible through a National Corn Growers Association training program. NCGA’s Advanced Leadership Training Program, sponsored by Syngenta, launched its fourth class this week in Greensboro, N.C. The session helps qualified and motivated candidates fine tune their leadership skills and prepare them to lead the industry forward. "Advanced Leadership …

Sept. 12: U.S. farmers remain on track to produce a record corn crop if forecasts hold, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates released today. The projected harvest raised to 13.8 billion bushels as the second survey-based yield forecast rose to 155.3 bushels per acre. If realized, U.S. corn farmers would exceed the production record set in 2009 of 13.09 billion bushels. “Despite a variety of less-than-optimal growing conditions …

Sept. 12: The National Corn Growers Association reminds farmers of the importance of proper grain bin safety procedures this harvest. With farmers across the country preparing to hit the fields in their combines, NCGA is again offering a video highlighting the importance of proper safety procedures and reviewing helpful guidelines. To view the video, click here. First released in 2011, this video remains relevant and illustrates the …

Sept. 11: The popular television series America’s Heartland features new themed episodes and the return of popular features and hosts as it premieres the ninth season of its public television series celebrating U.S. agriculture starting this week. The series is produced by KVIE Public Television and receives promotional support from the National Corn Growers Association, among others. This season, the 22 episodes will focus on agriculture-related topics designed to …

Sept. 10: NASCAR legend Kenny Wallace will be making his 900th NASCAR start at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday in the Dollar General 300. Joining the "900 Club", Wallace will be amongst an elite group of drivers that includes Richard Petty, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Labonte, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Jarrett. Wallace will be behind the wheel of the RAB Racing No. 29 …

Sept. 10: A report released last week by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, chaired by former United Nations Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kofi Annan, details the great potential for agricultural growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and the ability of more widespread use of seed biotechnology to help drive this growth. The report states that the yield gap for most crops could be reduced by …

Sept. 9: Warm, dry weather though much of the Corn Belt, with drought conditions in several areas, has reduced the condition of the 2013 U.S. corn crop as harvest approaches, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported today. “Many of our growers are noticing the impact of the late-summer weather on their crops,” said National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson. “We also see that drought monitors show conditions reaching …

Sept. 9: In 2012 Korea was the third largest corn importer in the world and the fourth largest market for U.S. corn. Yet because of the drought of 2012, U.S. imports have dropped to less than 1 percent so far in the 2013 calendar year, according to Korean import statistics. This has propelled the U.S. Grains Council to engage in aggressive programming to reinvigorate Korean buyers for U.S. corn. …

Sept. 6: American Ethanol spokesman Kenny Wallace will be making his 898th career NASCAR ® start tonight from the Richmond International Raceway. He will race into the spotlight in the No. 29 American Ethanol Toyota Camry, on the track where he boasts three wins, 18 top-ten finishes and 432 laps lead. This race leads up to a major milestone as Wallace nears 900 career starts, with only a handful …

Sept. 6: The National Corn Growers Association is now in its third season of Field Notes, a series that takes readers behind the farm gate to follow the year in the life of American farm families. While these growers come from diverse geographic areas and run unique operations, they share a common love for U.S. agriculture and the basic values that underpin life in farming communities. Today, Field …

Sept. 5: After two years of discussions, MAIZALL will begin actively working on behalf of corn farmers in North and South America soon, commencing activities in Korea and China. Earlier this year, the U.S. Grains Council joined the National Corn Growers Association, and MAIZAR and ABRAMHILO, the leading corn producer's organizations in Argentina and Brazil, formally announced the creation of MAIZALL as a strategic alliance focused on food security, market …

Sept. 4: Membership at the National Corn Growers Association reached a new all-time high with 40,244 on the rolls as August closed. This further builds upon the membership milestone achieved in July, when rolls surpassed 40,000 members for the first time. “The record set last month confirms the move past the 40,000 member mark last month was not a fluke but, instead, was indicative of a trend upon which …

Sept. 3: The U.S. corn crop made steady progress toward maturity last week while remaining in good condition, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released today. The percentage of the corn crop denting increased by 19 points last week, while the percentage of corn doughing further narrowed its lag behind the five year-average to only five points. Reports also indicate that the crop condition remains almost unchanged from …